The Mana-Verse

[Sakura Leic]

Sakura quickly ran back seeing that her Father held back one with a flaming aerial spin attack but the other two were still getting closer.

"I won't let those 2 come back to a destroyed barn." Sakura muttered as she emchanted her sword with fire and dashed towards another Cheval with her sword pointed in front of her "Flame Needle!"

(Just think of it as the Dashing variation of the Raijingeki in Megaman X4 from Megaman Zero 4 but on fire.)

[Quickman]

It took a while, but the door to the barn was pushed open.  The Professor stepped out into the snow, a large vat strapped to his back, with an attached hose that he held by the nozzle.  In his other hand, he held his torch.

"I, I advise, I advise that you m-may want to step back..."

He lit the wick that was attached to the front of the nozzle, and then gave the nozzle's trigger a quick squeeze.  A jet of flame spewed forth.

"I apologize, as, as I, as I tried to complete this in time, but, but, but I m-may have taken too long."

[Dr. Wily II]

The attacks connected with the various Cheval Joes, both the ones on the ground and in the air, and various explosions could be seen. As the blizzard blew away the smoke, a lone Cheval Joe continued to spatter forward. The jet of fire from the Prof's machination hit the Joe, setting it ablaze as it pulled a wheelie towards one man.

Fxeni.

(BLAZE OF SUBSTITUTE GLORY)

[Sapphire Knight]

Susanoo pounced on and tore apart the last of Cheval Joes, letting out a triumphant roar as it exploded in his face.

[I know I'm taking Fxeni's thunder, but Susanoo was already charging out into the snow at them. >3> ]

[Dr. Wily II]

(Lol, I think this is becoming a running gag with regards to Fxeni and Cheval wheelies. )

[Fxeni]

(... left out again. Along with the Cheval wheelie?! The hell guys.)

Fxeni let out a sigh as the final one was demolished. He looked around to make sure no one around the barn was hurt, then he looked out in the snow.

"I'm going to go get those two back... We need to have a chat about sticking together, clearly," Fxeni says a tad miffed as he trudged out beyond the various wreckages of the Chevals.

[Mr. Haxwell]

As the sound of roaring engines quieted down...

Toshi - "I hope... that's the last... of them." the constant panting causes her ice turret to disintergrate back into snow, along with her ice barrier, "I need... some breathing... space."

She walked back inside the barn, opening up her coat's chest area, to get some needed oxygen. She somehow doesn't seem, or feel bothered by the cold air coming in, though.

Grifter - "Hey! Are you okay! You look kinda pale from all that commotion, outside."

Toshi - "I'm... fine. Now leave me." she shooed Grifter away, in the dust.

[Phi]

(Dick move, Sapph.)

"Huh, that was an interesting stunt you pulled there, in regards to the stalactities. You're usually pretty oblivious to your surroundings." Salem observed.

Pema frowned, "Hey, I'm not that oblivious! Besides, I was thinking back to my training with Mr. Fxeni. He told me to 'use the environment to my advantage'."

"That he did. It's good that you were paying attention," He replied.

She grinned and nodded, "Mm-hm! With everything Mr. Fxeni is teaching me, I'll be able to become a stronger Runemaster; maybe I'll even be promoted to Knight, one day!"

"Now, now, one step at a time. After all, you were only recently christened with the Insatiable title. Tack on the Knight rank to that? Why, that may be too overwhelming to bear." Salem chuckled.

"Hmm..." She rubbed her chin, "Pema the In-say-dee-able Rune Knight! Conquering beasts, dragons and the dinner table! It kinda has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

"Perhaps too long of a ring, if I were to be honest..." He said curtly.

[Fxeni]

(Ser Pema the Insatiable does have a nice ring to it )

[Quickman]

((I'm going to do something for Fxeni...))

The Professor was turning toward the group when one remaining Joe emerged from behind a snow drift.  Turning again, he aimed his flamethrower.  However, he was out of range.  The Joe saw him and immediately changed its trajectory, heading straight towards Fxeni.

((Yes, I'm cheating a bit because I lost track.  But, there.  Have a Joe.))

[Fxeni]

Fxeni heard the sudden revving of the engine of the sneak attacker, and quickly turned to face it. The Cheval rider, in a streak of sudden cockiness, decided that he would run his target over by boosting into him. As the Cheval sped up violently, it's front end up rising up into the air with mana flowing out of it's lower end.

Fxeni, reacting as quickly as he could, blasted a sudden strong gust of wind downward, blowing snow up into the air to hide his location. He then quickly jumped to the side, barely avoiding the Cheval streaking by.

The Cheval rider, now blinded by snow, furiously tried to wipe off the snow that now covered his face. As his vision returned, the last thing he saw was a tree careening into his face. The Cheval exploded violently against the tree.

"... and that is the turning problems I was talking about, Sakura," Fxeni noted as he stood up and wiped his clothes off.

[Sakura Leic]

(I'm sorry I'm just trying to register what just happened, I'm assuming that it can't turn in boosted mode?)

[Fxeni]

(Can't turn well, yes. Because it's doing a wheelie.)

[Sakura Leic]

(So wait the Wheelie is boosted mode?  Sorry I'm just trying to get my facts straight.)

[Fxeni]

(Like every ride chaser in the X series, indeed it is.)

[Sakura Leic]

(Okay now everything makes sense!)

"Wow......" Sakura gulped "No wonder boosted mode is so dangerous....."

[Sapphire Knight]

(Dick move, Sapph.)

(I know, but I was already in-action, and got called away and people posred before I could follow up. ;n; )

[Quickman]

((I threw in an extra, so it's all good.))

[Blue Valkyrie]

Aya using her wings to glide when hopping over rocks, stumps and hills managed to keep up with the damaged cheval joe without alerting it to her pursuit eventually the fleeing minion reached it's destination near the town Fxeni mentioned before.

As the cheval joe came to a halt she quickly ducked behind a near by tree and waited to see what would happen.

((Wily is up))

[Quickman]

Riagan had caught up with Aya and similarly ducked behind a snowdrift, his war hammer gripped in both hands.  He looked to Aya, his voice low. "Finally caught up with you, lass.  Figured you might need some backup."

[Blue Valkyrie]

"Thank you, for the moment lets just see what happens; find out what we are up against." Aya nods to Riagan and moves over to give him some more room.

[Dr. Wily II]

The Cheval Joe spattered loudly to a halt, alerting Freeze Master and Blizzard Master of its arrival. Freeze Master turned, and looked at the Joe, clearly noting the damage.

"Let me guess, the heroes won... Freezzzzzzzzzzzzzze..."

The Joe nodded, only to be frozen solid by Freeze Master. Blizzard Master poked the frozen block of Joe, and it shattered into multiple chunks.

"So... What now Freeze?"

Freeze Master looked unfazed as he froze another villager.

"Let them come to Heimdall... Freezzzzzzzzzze... Us Masters are not to be trifled with. Plus, there's still more of those Cheval Joes..."

"But... Didn't you hear of Napalm Master?"

"BAH! Fire-type Masters are weak. *creates a Freeze Cracker in his palm* We will crush the heroes... *crushes the Freeze Cracker*"

[Sapphire Knight]

[Beware, a native daemon lord and/or a swarm of lesser-mid daemons may appear in Heimdall.]

[Blue Valkyrie]

"Sounds like they expect us to come to them, want to slip away and get the others?" Aya whispers to Riagan

[Quickman]

"That would be the best idea, lass.  Already, I've had to tell your comrade to stay with the group where she was needed." Riagan nodded.  He had good reason to follow Aya, as he wasn't a ranged fighter and was of no use to the party in a ranged battle.  Sakura, on the other hand, was more powerful and needed to stay with the group where she would be the most effective.

"We need to learn how to operate like a team.  Else, your quest will collapse, if everyone goes off on a fool-headed jaunt just because one person does it."